Thank You Buhari for Nominating Lauretta Onochie

By Eric Elezuo

It was much of a drama when during the week, President Muhammadu Buhari shocked Nigerians by nominating his social media aide, Mrs Lauretta Onochie, as an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commissioner among three others. The news erupted scornful laughter in the mouths many others as they felt that was the funniest joke post COVID-19.

It has not been unusual for President Buhari for make some innocuous appointments and nominations, but the nomination of Onochie for the INEC job among all jobs was worth the laughter and condemnation that followed it.

In the past, Buhari had appointed very old men, who can hardly move on their own to sensitive national and international portfolios, dead men to parastatal and agencies among many other caricature of appointments and nominations.

Of course, Nigerians rose in unison to condemn the nomination of Onochie, with some asking the whys and hows of such insensitive nomination.

Onochie, not a few is aware, has a pedigree of bad blood flowing in her veins. This is exemplified by the voracious expletives she is known to have thrown at opponents of Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are the slightest excuse. Not only does she attack political foes, she has been known to thrown insults at revered preachers including Founder of Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo and Presiding Pastor of Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie.

Onochie has not in any form shown the courtesy and attitude of someone, who could be trusted with public office, let alone a sensitive one like the INEC job to the extent of becoming its commissioner. she has a penchant for uncultured attacks, especially not proven. In fact, she is still battling legal summons instigated against her by the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar to the tune of N2.5 billion. She is no one’s friends, except her paymasters

But it is felt that the nomination could not have come at a better time; when the Nigerian youths are out there making a case for good government in protest, and when public office holders, especially the ‘elected’ ones are sure on their toes against possible. So the rejection was total, coming from all corners and quarters.

The worse part was that her paymasters and principals also rejected her. Her sins were beyond party politics. She is a public enemy, and cannot be trusted with public office. It is not even certain if she could be trusted with leading her immediate family.

But it is well that Buhari nominated her for the job, otherwise, how would she have known that she was not popular among Nigerians, not even among her principal and paymasters. So when the Senate put a stamp on her rejection, it was more like an anti-climax.

Consequently, whether by omission or commission that Buhari sent her name to the Senate, it proved to be a good thing. At least, for now, she could rest her head and mouth a while, knowing very well that she is a nobody in the scheme of things. She would have understood by name that public is for the groomed and adequately nurtured, not for those who constantly engage in brigandage.

Once again, thank you Buhari for nominating Lauretta Onochie!